Coin-actuated vending-machine



(NoM odeL) W S VAN SANT COIN AGTUATE'D VENDING MAGHINB.

PatentedvAug. 9, 1892.

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N yak g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT, OF AUBURN, CALIFORNIA.

COIN-ACTUATED VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,639, dated August9, 1892. Application filed May 2, 1892. Serial No. 431,544. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Auburn, Placer county, State of California, haveinvented an Improvement in Coin-Actuated Vending-Machines; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to that class of ma chines dependent for theiroperation upon the deposit of a coin and adapted to supply smallarticles of merchandise.

Though my invention is adapted for the delivery of any suitable article,it is especiallyintended for furnishing sandwiches, pieces of pie, andother articles of food from which the device may be properly termed alunchvending machine.

My invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of thecoin-actuated tripping mechanism for releasing the drawer wherein thearticles are successively deposited, whereby one may be withdrawn, andin the details of construction and arrangement in connection therewith,all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe, and specifically pointout in the claims;

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and accurate machineof this class.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention, Figure l is a perspective view of my machine, one ofthe drawers D being open and the front of one of the vertical chambers Bbeing broken away to show the interior. Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe interior of base A, showingthe coin-passages and drawerlock andtrip. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the front of the machine, showingthe holding-arm Zof the inscription-plate L.

A is the hollow base of the frame of the machine. Upon this is securedthe top of the frame, which consists of one or more vertical chambers13, here shown as two in number, the lower ends extending down into thehollow base. Between these chambers is aspace or receptacle 0 fordepositing the empty packages or casings, as I shall hereinafterdescribe. In the hollow base A are mounted the sliding drawers D, hereshown as two in number. Each drawer and the locking and trippingmechanism being exactly the same,

a description of one will suffice for both. One of the sides of thedrawer is provided with the ratchet-teeth d, with which a pivotedweighted or gravity pawl E, mounted upon the inner surface of the frontof the base, is adapted to normally engage. The other side (2 of thedrawer is provided with a downwardly-extending surface or inclined planed", forming a tripping-cam, as I shall presently describe.

In the outside of the top of the base is made the coin-slot b. Thiscommunicates with a receiving-passage b within the base. This passagecommunicates with a tilting runway F, which is pivoted at f and has aweight W at one end, whereby its other end is held in anormally-elevated position, being limited by a stop f, as shown.

The pawl E, heretofore mentioned, has a shank or stem 6 extending overthe side (1 of the drawer and provided with the contactplate e, whichlies directly under the end of the tilting runway F. The end of thisrunway is in communication with a vertical passage G, the lower end ofwhich is in communication with the coin-drawer H, mounted in the hollowbase of the frame and adapted to be opened by means of a suitablelock atthe back of the base. This vertical passage G is located in suchposition to the contact-plate e of the pawl-stem e that the spacebetween the two is not normally suflicient to allow the proper coin topass.

The operation of this tripping mechanism is as follows: Normally theweighted pawl E is in engagement with the ratchet side 61 of the drawerD and holds said drawer closed. Then the coin is deposited, it passes bygravity along the inclined runway F and into the vertical passage G. Inthis passage it encounters the contact-plate e, and not bein able topass between said plate and the pa; sage G it forces the platedownwardly, its weight being sufficient to overcome the wei ht of thepawl E at the other end of stein e which said pawl it thus lifts fromits en a e ment with the drawer. This downward 11 1036- ment of plate 6is limited by the shank or stem 6 of the pawl resting upon the side (1of the drawer; but the space isnot yet sufficient to allow the coin topass by the plate and consequently it remains temporarily iii IOO thisposition; but this movement, as just mentioned, has raised the pawl Efrom its engagement with the ratchet side (1 of the drawer, andthereupon said drawer can be drawn outwardly. In moving outwardly theinclined plane d of its side 01', passing under the stem or shank e ofthe pawl, allows said stem or shank to be depressed farther, and thecoin will thereupon drop down into the receiving-drawer. The pawl E,being now free, returns by gravity to its initial position, and as thedrawer is slid in again the y pawl will slip over its ratchet-teeth anden-' gage its foremost one, and thus lock the drawer once more. In thismechanism the runway F, being a tilting one, enables me to so regulateit as to provide for the detection I of any pieces inserted in themachine having a weight greater than the required coin. This is done bythe weight W, which should be of a character and so adjusted as to yieldbeforea piece or coin having too great weight. 1 Wherefore said heavypiece, instead of passing down the runway, will tilt it in the wrong 1direction and will simply drop into the drawer and not actuate thetripping-pawl. The space separating the contact-plate e of thetriplping-pawl and the vertical passage G. is regu ated to the diameterof the proper coin, so that any coin having a less diameter will passdown the vertical passage without contact with the plate.

sandwiches and pieces of pie-such as I intend to adapt mymachine tosell-I have small open- I ended cans. These are fitted in verticalcolumn in the chambersB of the top of theirame. The lowermost can restsin the bottom of the drawer and is of a thickness to pass out with thedrawer when pulled forwardly, the remainder of the column being keptback;

In order to indicate when the machine is empty, I have pivoted to thefront of the base of the chamber B a sign-plate L. This may consist of asuitable frame with a. glass adapted to receive behind it a card havingthe name of the article to be vended printed upon it. Different cardsmay thus be introduced. This sign-plate is pivoted in, such a mannerthat it falls forward by gravity to a horizontal position and exposesbehind the sign Empty. It is held up to cover this sign and to presentits own inscription by means of an arm l, which extends downwardlywithin the chamber B, and is held in an approximately-vertical positionby the column of cans inside. A weight-block M is placed upon the top ofthe cans to hold the column in place. When the last can lies in thedrawer, this block still holds the arm lin place; but when the last canis removed the block drops down into the drawer, and the arm I being nowfree the sign-plate L drops forward by gravity to conceal its owninscription and to expose the sign Empty,

The articles to be vended are placed in the chambers B by removing theirfront plates, which are held normally in position by means of a suitablelock.

The space C between the columns is to receive the empty cans after thepurchaser has removed the article vended.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a coin-actuated vending-machine hav ing a coin-passage, a slidingdrawer having a ratchet-surface at one side,- a pawl normally engagingthe ratchet-surface of the drawer and released from contact therewith bythe passage of the coin, and an inclined plane on the drawer, upon whichthe stem of the pawl is held by the weight of the coin to hold the pawlout of contact with the ratchet-surface while the drawer is being pulledout, substantially as herein described.

2. In a coin-actuated vending-machine having a coin-passage, a drawerhaving a ratchetsurface at one side and an inclined plane at the opposteside, anda pivot-ally-seeured pawl normally engaging saidratchet-surface and having its stem in the path of the coin, said stemadapted to be held against the inclined plane on the drawer by theweight of thecoin to hold the pawl elevated and to ride down saidinclined plane as the drawer is pulled out, whereby the coin. isreleased from the stem, substantially as herein described.

3. In a coin-actuated vendingmachine, the combination of the slidingdrawer having on one side a ratchet and on its other side an inclinedplane, the gravity-pawl engaging the ratchet of said drawer for lookingit, the stem or shank of said pawl passing over the other side of thedrawer and controlled by its inclined plane, the contact-plate of saidstem or shank, and a suitable coin-passage to di- T root the coin tosaid contact-plate, substantially as herein described.

4. In a coin-actuated vending-machine, the combination of the slidingdrawer having the ratchet-teeth on one side and the inclined plane onthe other, the gravity-pawl engaging the ratchet-teeth for locking thedrawer, the stem or shank of said pawl passing over the inclined planeside of the drawer, the contactplate of said stem or shank, the opposingvertical passage for the coin, and a suitable runway to direct the cointo said vertical passage, substantially as herein described.

5. In a coin-actuated vending-machine, the combination of the slidingdrawer having the ratchet-teeth on one side and the inclined plane onthe other, the gravity-pawl engaging 6. In a coin-actuatedvending-machine, the in place by the contents thereof,substancombination of the vertical chamber containtially as hereindescribed. :0 ing the articles to be vended, a drawer un- In witnesswhereof I have hereunto set my derlying said chamber, the drop-plateconhand.

taining the inscription of the articles to be WILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT.vended and adapted to cover and expose an- Witnesses:

other inscription, and the arm of said drop- EDWARD S. ATKINS,

plate passing down in the chamber and held WILLIAM H. CURTIS.

